“Fuck bygones be bygones, you don’t deserve my respect.“
Texas is a breeding ground for heavy talent nowadays, with new bands cropping up almost daily, each looking to make their mark on the state and wider scene. Juicebox is a special case, having caught our eyes with their debut demo back in 2023, and consistently putting out banger after banger ever since. Stripping things back to their basics, Juicebox possesses that raw, riffy hardcore sound that kickstarted the genre, and with the release of AIN’T SHIT SWEET, they look to showcase their prowess.
Easing us in with the aptly titled “INTRO“, the Texan four-piece wastes no time in bringing us into the EP and giving us a taste of what’s to come. An already speedy, riff-focused track, it quickly progresses into a blistering pace, drums punching, and a shout-out of “Juicebox” to round things off. “DEAD BEAT” is the real intro to the EP, though, and the band knows it. Raw, immediate vocals meet with pinging snares, chugging guitars, and groovy basslines to form something which you can’t help but nod along to. This is something that persists across all of AIN’T SHIT SWEET. JUICEBOX has crafted a sound, which, though basic on a component level, is actually much more than the sum of its parts.
“NOT YOURS” had already been out for a short while ahead of the AIN’T SHIT SWEET‘s release, and even now it still stands out as a particularly strong moment. Lyrically, one of the stronger tracks on the EP, it’s focused on independence and individuality. The track’s short and blunt delivery only empowers the message. There’s no stepping around the topic or softening the blow; it is to-the-point and aggressive, with vocalist Jess delivering every word with venom and anger. “TWO FACE” employs a similar approach, this time lyrically discussing their disdain for fake people. Whilst this track is much more stereotypical, and we’ve seen many hardcore bands discuss this topic, JUICEBOX‘s approach allows them to pull it off without feeling cheesy or cliché. Their ability to keep things succinct and aggressive is what sets them apart, and allows them to cover these topics without feeling like your stereotypical hardcore band.
AIN’T SHIT SWEET is a short but powerful EP. JUICEBOX‘s ability to encompass so much angst and anger into such a short release is commendable, and to do so without resorting to clichés and tropes is something all the more impressive. AIN’T SHIT SWEET is a remarkably impressive debut EP, and with the resurgence of old-school riffy hardcore being upon us, they deserve to be noted as being at the forefront of the sound. There’s nothing inherently new to what they’re doing, and there doesn’t need to be. AIN’T SHIT SWEET proves this. A competency and respect for the basics, and the ability and understanding to JUICBOX showcase an expertise in this field. AIN’T SHIT SWEET is a stellar debut, and we’ll no doubt see JUICEBOX cropping up on more and more line ups now that it is out into the world.
8/10
AIN’T SHIT SWEET was released on the 23rd March via independent release and can be purchased on Bandcamp here.